Never Back Down: No Surrender

2016 1h 41m English 6.2

Action, Sport

It has been two years since Case Walker (Michael Jai White) has re-entered the world of professional mixed martial arts fighting, but had grown tired of it. He now competes in amateur bouts in an effort to teach his opponents how to utilize their skills. After such a match in Beaumont, Texas, Case runs into Brody James (Josh Barnett), an old friend who is also an MMA fighter. Brody knows that Case must have run into hard times to be fighting in Beaumont. Brody has signed with PFC (Primortal Fighting Championship) Combat, a promotion run by Hugo Vega (Esai Morales), in which Brody has signed to fight the 7-foot beast Caesar Braga (Nathan Jones) for the PFC Championship in Bangkok. PFC is the fastest growing MMA group, but Case says that is because they are a freak show and follows no rules. Brody is getting $2 million for his next fight. Brody asks Case to help him train for the fight, knowing Case needs to find his way back. Brody argues that everyday Case is in the wilderness, he is not on top, playing in the big leagues where he belongs. Case knows that he will need to help Brody go on the straight and narrow. Brody is too much into alcohol and random hookups which Case finds distracting. And that too when Brody has a wife and 2 kids of his own. Case reluctantly accepts Brody's offer and travels to Thailand. The fight with Braga is in 6 weeks.Hugo Vega starts promoting the fight and insists that no fighter needs to undergo drug testing in his league. Braga has had assault charges filed against him by his ex-wife. Case goes to the Top Fight Gym, where he already finds resistance from Brody's other trainer Matty Ramos (Stephen Quadros). Case sets up his own equipment to train Brody, which he creates from junkyards around the gym. The equipment is "raw" and aimed to get Brody used to the pain that he will experience in the fight against Braga.To make matters worse, Case is ridiculed for his training by "Cobra" O'Connor (Owen O'Brien), a younger fighter whose arrogance gets the best of him. During a challenge, Case deflects Cobra's moves and uses elements from Kyokushin to knock Cobra out. Case soon finds himself becoming a mentor to two up-and-coming fighters, Taj (Amarin Cholvibul) and "Creech" (Daniel Renalds). Brody is still not serious about the fight and continues to spend time in his hotel with Thai prostitutes.Case's pummeling of Cobra attracts the attention of Vega, who is revealed to have some sort of history with Case. Case wants to quit, and Vega also wants Case gone. Myca convinces Vega that the PFC needs Case. Taj wanted to get Vega's attention, but Vega wasn't giving him any time. Case agrees to spar with Taj in front of Vega and even allows Taj to pummel Case, so that he can look good in front of Vega. After Vega is gone, Case agrees to train Taj and Creech in his free time. Case tells Taj and Creech that fighting is about perfecting the technique, so that the fighter can cause maximum damage to the opponent with minimal effort.Meanwhile, Matty is increasingly frustrated that he is not in the loop on any of Brody's planning for the fight with Braga. Brody is deciding everything with Case directly. PFC marketing director Myca Cruz (Gillian White) begins to have a liking to Case and asks him on a date to get to know him, to which he agrees.When Case has his date with Myca, Matty watches the two together and decides to use it against Case when it comes to Brody. Brody has been slowing down his training and Vega, in an effort to make the fight a success, recommends that Brody use steroids from his supplier to help him better himself. Matty tells Brody about Myca and Case. This is unsettling for Brody as he was interested in Myca himself. The date between Myca and Case ends abruptly when Myca brings up Case's time in prison, making him feel very uncomfortable.When Brody offers to spar with Case, the session gets out of hand as Brody goes too far, hitting Case in the head, to which he retaliates in a way he never expected. Case pummels Brody relentlessly and humiliates him in his own gym. Despite apologizing to Brody, their friendship seems to have ended. That is until Case notices Brody using steroids.Myca apologizes to Case and says that she wants to be friends with him, if he still wants the same. Case asks Myca out for another date and eventually they end up kissing each other. After training one night, Case and Brody go out to eat. Case says that Brody is not focused on the fight anymore and he needs a plan and a strategy for the ring. It is then when Brody realizes his mistakes and apologizes. He vows to Case he will do things the right way and even tells Case that Myca would be a good woman for him. Brody and Case work together to begin training for the fight along with Matty, who thanks to an intervention from Brody, agrees to work with Case in training Brody for the title fight. Case says that Braga is an angry mind in the ring, and Brody can take advantage of that.However, viral footage of Case beating up the racist policemen from two years prior has grabbed the attention of many, thus causing Vega to realize that Brody may not be the one worthy of the fight against Braga. Vega believes that fans want a more exciting contest and Brody is the one not delivering. Vega offers Case a contract which is rejects as insufficient.During training, a Sambo wrestler named Boris (Logan Brumfield) injures Brody's knee. Case reveals that he had secretly replaced Brody's steroids with baby aspirin and other placebo drugs. This means that Brody will still qualify for insurance and all his recovery will be taken care of. Vega offers Case a million dollars to fight Braga.Beginning to train for the fight under the mentor-ship of Brody and physical training from Matty, Taj confronts Case, accusing him of "selling out". The next day, Case's suspicions are confirmed as he breaks into Boris's locker and discovering a text message telling Vega "It's done". Case knows that he is forced to fight but must find a way to stop both Braga and Vega, who is set to make a lot of money off the fight and prove that he is responsible for Brody's injury.At the night of the fight, Myca, who has become Case's girlfriend, tells Vega she quits. Case realizes how he can stop Vega and starts a fight with Braga outside the ring. When Braga gets the best of Case, Case resorts to using Kyokushin again, this time using a Nakadaka Ken (Extended middle knuckle punch) that damages Braga's ribs. Case continues using traditional karate techniques and knocks Braga out with a Kaiten Geri (Rolling Wheel Kick) to his head.Vega threatens to sue, but Case tells Vega that they have the proof of him causing Brody's injury and that suing could cost Vega millions of dollars. To make matters worse, Vega must pay back everyone who came to see the fight, to which he storms off in anger, knowing he has been defeated. Case, Myca, Brody, and their crew leave the ring arena knowing they have achieved victory.